Anyone changed career?

[Willlll]

ColdoRS said:

Graphic Designer to Electrical Engineer.

Involved me quitting my job, taking a £20k paycut for 4 years whilst i was at uni.

Fast forward 7 years, now fully qualified, working in a job i thoroughly enjoy, travel the world with and earn far more than I ever would have as a graphic designer.

Was a tight and tough few years but i wouldn't change a thing. (Other than tick the electrical engineering box instead of the graphic design one when i was 17...)

You sound similar to me. From 12-16 the only thing I saw myself doing was graphic design. I was self taught and was gonna do A levels and go for a degree in it. As it was the carrot was dangled for a paid Apprenticeship in EE, and it was the best decision I made.

[RemyMartin]

Industrial boiler/Refrigeration engineer working for Nestle, 15 years. Disillusioned and ultimately bored. I decided that I really didnt to do it anymore, keep tinkering for spare time and fun.

Past two years ive become a train driver, something I've always wanted to do since childhood and so far the bubble hasn't burst. Its not the perfect job, what is? I do however love going into work.

It certainly wasnt easy, with a mortgage and the trappings of modern life taking a gigantic pay cut (50%) was hard. I had a flourishing current account but at the end of training it was bare. Fortunately a qualified train drivers wage levelled the playing field and its all good again.